The present invention relates to a magnetic head for carrying out high density magnetic recording, and more particularly to a magnetic head provided with a magnetoresistance element which has low Barkhausen noise and can produce a high signal-to-noise ratio.
A magnetic head provided with a magnetoresistance element which has the form of a loop and is applied with a bias magnetic field, is described in, for example, a Japanese patent application No. JP-A-59-121616. In this magnetic head, lead wires for generating the bias magnetic field in directions parallel to and perpendicular to a magnetic recording medium, have to be formed at two positions. Hence, the fabricating process of the magnetic head is complicated. Usually, magnetic domains are formed in edge portions of the magnetoresistance element having the form of a loop. In the above magnetic head, the whole of that side of the looped magnetoresistance element which confronts the magnetic recording medium, corresponds to the track width of the magnetic head, and hence the formation of magnetic domains causes Barkhausen noise.
Another magnetic head, in which a bias magnetic field is applied to a magnetoresistance element in the direction of easy magnetization thereof to prevent the generation of Barkhausen noise, is described in a Japanese patent application No. JP-A-62-110615. However, this magnetic head employs the magnetoresistance element having the form of a strip. Accordingly, in order to form a coil around the magnetoresistance element so that the bias magnetic field is applied thereto, the magnetic head is required to have a yoke type structure. The magnetic head having the yoke type structure is lower in reproduced output and smaller in resolution than a magnetic head provided with a magnetoresistance element which is exposed to a gap between the magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium.